Location Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references Europe

Area
total: 33,843 sq km
water: 472 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km

Area - comparative slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims none (landlocked)

Climate moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use
arable land: 54%
permanent crops: 12%
other: 34% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

NOTE: The information regarding Moldova on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Moldova Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Moldova Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.